Duel in the Rain, Life and Death on a Knife's Edge

The next morning.

The sky was so overcast it seemed ready to drip ink. Dark clouds pressed overhead, and thunder rumbled.

This kind of weather was not ideal for going out.

But Lin Feng still left home with his hunting gear.

He waited by the courtyard gate for a while, and Old Wang Next Door came out as promised.

Lin Feng greeted him with a smile. "Morning, Brother Wang."

Wang Shanxiong looked up at the sky. "Is this weather suitable for hunting in the mountains?"

"No helping it. The family can barely keep the pot boiling.

"If I don't go hunting in the mountains, there'll be nothing to eat.

"Don't let these frighteningly dark skies fool you—it may not necessarily pour.

"Besides, I brought an umbrella."

"Fine. Then let's get going."

Wang Shanxiong did not want to delay any longer either. He planned to kill Lin Feng on the mountain today.

Once Lin Feng was dead, he could make up any excuse and muddle through the matter.

The two walked side by side toward the edge of the village, each wary of the other.

Lin Feng asked as if casually, "Brother Wang, you said you've practiced martial arts too. What kind of skill did you train?"

"I practiced a low-tier fist art. It didn't even have a name."

Wang Shanxiong was clearly brushing Lin Feng off.

Lin Feng did not need Wang Shanxiong to answer honestly anyway. The attribute panel had already laid it all out clearly.

What Lin Feng actually wanted was for Wang Shanxiong to ask him the same question.

Sure enough, Wang Shanxiong immediately asked, "Little Feng, what martial art did you learn?"

"Oh, I learned the Mad Demon Staff Technique at a martial arts school in the County Town. It's also Low-tier Martial Arts."

The moment Wang Shanxiong heard that Lin Feng practiced a staff technique, his eyes involuntarily swept over Lin Feng.

Lin Feng had a bow, arrows, and a quiver on his back, along with a bag of food for the mountain. An oil-paper umbrella was also tucked into the quiver.

Wang Shanxiong saw that Lin Feng had not brought a staff, and the vigilance in his heart eased somewhat.

That was exactly what Lin Feng wanted—to mislead him and lower his guard.

Perhaps because of the weather, there were especially few people on the road.

Just as the two reached the edge of Big Black Mountain, a fine drizzle began to fall.

The misty rain, thin as silken threads, drifted softly onto the earth, draping the world in a faint veil of watery haze.

The rain was light, not yet enough to require an umbrella.

Not until they entered the forest.

Then the rain grew a little heavier.

The raindrops were dense and gentle, pattering against the leaves with a soft rustle.

Wang Shanxiong swept his gaze around, seemingly searching for a place to bury Lin Feng's bones.

At that moment, Lin Feng opened the oil-paper umbrella.

With a snap, the umbrella unfurled, shutting out the curtain of rain.

Lin Feng passed the umbrella into his left hand and moved closer to Wang Shanxiong.

"Brother Wang, let's share it."

As Lin Feng spoke, an honest, simple smile appeared on his face.

Though the light rain had not soaked their clothes through, it was still uncomfortable, leaving them sticky and clammy. They really should use an umbrella.

Wang Shanxiong suspected nothing. He stepped closer and reached out with his right hand to take the umbrella.

At that instant, a thunderclap exploded in the sky, and lightning tore across the heavens.

Wang Shanxiong's brow twitched, his gaze instinctively drawn to the lightning.

The umbrella happened to block Lin Feng's view, keeping him from being distracted by the flash.

Each time Lin Feng added points, he also gained a great deal of combat experience.

Lin Feng seized that fleeting opportunity.

His right hand shot out with Poisonous Snake Spits Tongue, straight for Wang Shanxiong's throat. At the same time, he flung a large cloud of lime powder from his right sleeve.

By the time Wang Shanxiong reacted, Lin Feng's attack had already arrived. It was too late to dodge.

Wang Shanxiong was an old hand in the martial world, with an exceptional ability to adapt on the fly.

Wang Shanxiong shut his eyes and controlled the muscles in his neck, shifting them forward to protect his throat. His right hand struck toward Lin Feng's chest with Stele Breaking Hand.

He wanted to force Lin Feng to withdraw his move.

There would only be one chance for a sneak attack. How could Lin Feng possibly withdraw?

Bang... clang.

Two different collision sounds rang out almost at the same time.

Pfft! Lin Feng was sent flying three or four meters, spitting out a mouthful of blood before he even hit the ground.

Fortunately, Lin Feng had placed a steel plate over his chest beforehand. Otherwise, that Stele Breaking Hand would have taken his life.

Lin Feng lowered his head. The clothes over his chest had been shattered, and a deep palm print had been stamped into the steel plate underneath.

Lin Feng was horrified. How could this man's palm force be so powerful?!

Wang Shanxiong also spat out blood and staggered back two steps. Lin Feng had not crushed his Adam's apple either.

However, lime powder had gotten into both his eyes, leaving him unable to open them for the moment.

Wang Shanxiong assessed his own condition.

"Hmm? You don't actually have Internal Energy!

"You haven't even reached the Skin Refining Realm.

"Hahaha! Practice martial arts without cultivating power, and when you grow old, it all comes to nothing.

"With your trifling three-legged-cat skills, you think you can deal with me? Kid, you're dead for sure."

Lin Feng was utterly baffled. What Internal Energy? What Skin Refining Realm?

He had no idea what Wang Shanxiong was talking about. This was the disadvantage of having no master or lineage.

Seeing Wang Shanxiong wiping his eyes with his sleeve, Lin Feng hurriedly got up and pounced on him.

Even a sneak attack and a handful of lime powder had failed to kill Wang Shanxiong.

Once Wang Shanxiong regained his sight, Lin Feng would be in danger.

Lin Feng rushed over and used Poisonous Snake Spits Tongue again, attacking Wang Shanxiong's throat.

Though Wang Shanxiong's windpipe had not been shattered, it had still suffered a serious injury, and blood was flowing from his throat.

Unable to see, Wang Shanxiong could still determine from the sound that Lin Feng was attacking his throat.

He stepped back, used his left hand to knock aside Lin Feng's palm, and drove a punch with his right fist at Lin Feng's chest.

Lin Feng's chest had also suffered a grave injury. His breastbone was cracked, and he did not dare let Wang Shanxiong land another punch.

Lin Feng dodged to the side, and the two became entangled in close combat.

The rain fell harder and harder.

Rainwater soaked their clothes, plastering the fabric to their bodies and revealing the lines of their well-developed muscles.

Lin Feng's gaze was firm and sharp, piercing through the hazy rain as he stared fixedly at Wang Shanxiong.

The downpour interfered with Wang Shanxiong's ability to locate him by sound.

Wang Shanxiong took several punches from Lin Feng, but none caused serious harm.

He protected the vital areas of his throat and face, and whenever he had the chance, he lifted his head to let the rain wash his eyes, flushing out the lime powder.

If lime powder got into the eyes, oil could be used to rinse them out if available.

Without oil, they had to be flushed immediately and copiously with water. The tear glands kept secreting tears, and the eyes continued to suffer damage; it had to be dealt with quickly, without delaying even a moment.

Wang Shanxiong could only rinse them with rainwater now.

Lin Feng was growing anxious. Wang Shanxiong's defense was watertight, and Lin Feng simply could not strike any vital point.

Lin Feng changed tactics. He no longer focused solely on hitting vital points; wherever he could hit, he hit.

The more injuries he inflicted on Wang Shanxiong, the better. Best of all if he could trigger one of his old wounds.

Lin Feng's fists were swift and vicious, every blow seeming to carry the force of wind and rain.

Raindrops sprayed with his movements, tracing streaks of silver through the air.

Having familiarized himself with the surrounding terrain, Wang Shanxiong changed his approach as well. He focused on evasion, doing his best to drag things out.

His body was nimble, like a fish darting through water.

He always managed to evade Lin Feng's attacks with uncanny skill, while responding with precise counterattacks.

His steps were light yet steady, as though he were walking on level ground despite the slick earth.

Their figures crossed in the rain, the sounds of fists and kicks colliding weaving together with the roar of rainfall.

Lin Feng grew more and more anxious, and his movements became faster and faster.

Even the downpour seemed infected by the killing chill in the air, becoming ever more violent.

Suddenly, Lin Feng was blasted away by a punch, his flying body smashing open a wide swath of rain.

Wang Shanxiong opened his eyes and slowly withdrew his fist.

"Hahaha, brat, you're dead for sure."